Is it possible to eat meat AND be cruelty free? Can we continue eating burgers and still tackle the global climate crisis? A few years ago, the answer to that would have been no, absolutely not. But today, clean meat is forging the way towards exactly that: meat that requires no killing, and that has no environmental impact. One of the people involved in this shift is Bruce Friedrich.
Bruce went plant-based way before it was popular, back in 1987, after reading Diet for a Small Planet and realizing that meat production was taking us towards global starvation. When he found out what Pat Browne of Impossible Foods was doing, he realized clean meat is the future, and co-founded the Good Food Institute (GFI) - a non-profit organization that works with scientists and entrepreneurs to find sustainable, kind alternatives to industrially produced animal products.
Clean meat is not another veggie burger. It IS meat - but grown from cells in a lab, rather than by rearing livestock. The result is meat that is better for your health, and for the planet:
Better for Your Health and Global Health
Did you know about 70% of the antibiotics produced in the US go to farm animals? The risk is two-fold. Firstly, those meds end up in the meat and on your plate, and we are not designed to eat medication aimed at animals. The other risk has to do with how bacteria and viruses evolve. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics has resulted in the development of superbugs so strong they pose a greater threat to life than global climate change. In fact, by 2050, over 10 million people a year might die from antibiotic-resistant bugs. We absolutely need to end our reliance on these medications! With clean meat, there are no livestock animals, so no need for antibiotics - and no antibiotic residues in your burger!
Another reason clean meat is better for your health is that, since it’s grown in a lab, it doesn’t get contaminated by bacteria because it doesn’t come into contact with animal intestines or poop. That means no salmonella and no E.coli. Did you know that contaminated meat makes tens of millions of Americans sick every year? This doesn’t happen with clean meat.
Better For The Planet
Factory farming is not sustainable - we’ve known it for decades! It takes 9 calories of food (from grain or grass or soy) to “grow” 1 calorie of meat. So we’re throwing away 8 calories of crop to get just 1 consumable calorie. Basically, it’s 800% food waste. Think about what it takes to grow the crops to feed livestock: water, pesticides, herbicides, gas and energy to ship the crops to feed mills and to factory farms, to ship the animals to and from slaughter houses. It’s no wonder the UN’s report Livestock’s Long Shadow found that animal agriculture is one of the top 3 contributors to climate change.
End World Hunger
A transition to clean meat could end world poverty and hunger too. Plant-based meat could feed the world. Tens of millions of people die every year from starvation-related causes. Instead of growing crops to feed animals, these crops could be grown to feed the world’s poorest.
So clean meat means no waste, no cruelty, no environmental destruction. And it doesn’t require anyone to change their habits. It looks like meat, tastes like meat - it IS meat, but grown differently. That’s why it’s a game changer. And why Bruce and others predict that we’ll see a 100% plant-based meat world by 2050 (or sooner!).
Clean Protein - The Book
Bruce has just co-authored a new book with Kathy Freston. Clean Protein - The Revolution that Will Reshape Your Body, Boost Your Energy, And Save Our Planet is a presentation on which clean proteins are best for our health, as well as tips on working out how much protein you need, transitioning to veganism, plant-based shopping, and a ton of tasty recipes. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s the perfect read for anyone worried about how to stay healthy and vegan during the holidays.
Being hailed as “Sex and the City for Food,” The Food Heals Podcast brings together experts in the field of nutrition, health and healing to teach you the best-kept natural secrets to being a hotter, healthier, happier YOU!
The Food Heals Podcast is hosted by Allison Melody and Suzy Hardy – two self-proclaimed natural chicks who will rock your world and change your beliefs about health! This sexy, savvy duo provides eco-friendly advice on a variety of issues including the healing power of nutrition, living authentically, turning your passion into your career, choosing the best natural health and beauty products, the benefits of a plant-based diet and so much more!
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